Our Awards

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

2018 Distinguished Coverage Award
KPBS staff, inewsource staff
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

First Amendment Award
Brad Racino
“Section 225: Opening up city contracts”

Daily investigative/enterprise reporting
First place
KPBS staff, inewsource staff
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

Second place
Megan Wood
“Christian college can’t explain $20 million in expenses; agency cites ‘very sketchy’ budget”

Third place
Brad Racino and Brandon Quester
“Data, teachers’ allegations undermine Gompers’ college-ready promise”

Digital data/visualization
First place
Brandon Quester, Leonardo Castañeda and Jim Tinsky
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

Second place
Leonardo Castañeda, Brandon Quester and former inewsource reporter Joe Yerardi
“Mello-Roos: The Tax You Choose”

Photo essay
First place
Brandon Quester
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

Digital multimedia presentation
Second place
Brandon Quester, Leonardo Castañeda and Jim Tinsky
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

Daily political/government reporting
First place
Brad Racino
“Fix to San Diego’s long-ignored transparency law to go on November 2018 ballot”

Daily education reporting
First place
Megan Wood and Mandy McLaren of Investigative Reporting Workshop
“Trauma and transitions: How San Diego schools grapple with educating refugees”

Second place
Megan Wood
“Christian college can’t explain $20 million in expenses; agency cites ‘very sketchy’ budget”

Third place
Leonardo Castañeda
“Ex-San Ysidro school superintendent’s compensation makes him highest paid in county, second highest in state”

Daily news feature
First place
Megan Wood and Mandy McLaren of Investigative Reporting Workshop
“Trauma and transitions: How San Diego schools grapple with educating refugees”

Video feature
First place
Megan Wood and freelance reporter Joanne Faryon
“Research uses music to reach people with traumatic brain injuries”

Daily environmental reporting
First place
Brad Racino and Brandon Quester
“Methane found at multimillion-dollar Escaya housing project in Otay Ranch”

Daily housing/development reporting
Third place
Leonardo Castañeda, Brandon Quester and former inewsource reporter Joe Yerardi
“Special property tax lacks robust oversight, accountability”

Audio investigative/enterprise reporting
Second place
Leonardo Castañeda
“Special property tax lacks robust oversight, accountability”

Daily reporting/writing series
Third place
Leonardo Castañeda
“San Ysidro School District”

Best of the West

Immigration and Border Reporting
Second place
Leonardo Castañeda and Brandon Quester
“America’s Wall: Decades-long struggle to secure U.S.-Mexico border”

Project Reporting
Third place
Brad Racino and Brandon Quester
“Data, teachers’ allegations undermine Gompers’ college-ready promise”

San Diego Press Club

Daily newspapers and websites: Feature — serious subject
Third place
Brad Racino
“In the shadow of Seaport”

Daily newspapers and websites: Health & Medicine
First place
Leonardo Castañeda
“How opioid devastation caught San Diego County communities unaware”

Daily newspapers and websites: Investigative Reporting
First place
Brandon Quester, Brad Racino
“Data, teachers’ allegations undermine Gompers’ college-ready promise”

Daily newspapers and websites: Real Estate
First place
Leonardo Castañeda
“Special property tax lacks robust oversight, accountability”

Radio, Series
First place
Leonardo Castañeda
“How opioid devastation caught San Diego County communities unaware”

Best of Show Daily Newspapers and Web Entry
Brandon Quester, Brad Racino
“Data, teachers’ allegations undermine Gompers’ college-ready promise”

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Audio, Investigative/Enterprise story
First place
Leo Castaneda
“Portable classrooms, despite heat and noise, find permanent home in San Diego County”

Audio, News or Feature Series (any subject)
First place
Leo Castaneda
“Sedated in San Diego”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Business story
Second place
Chris Young, Joe Yerardi
“A decade later, San Diego’s living wage law quiets critics, offers enforcement lessons”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Education story
First place
Leo Castaneda
“Portable classrooms, despite heat and noise, find permanent home in San Diego County”

Second place
Megan Wood
“Homeless emergency in San Ysidro schools escalates with grant loss”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Health story
First place
Leo Castaneda
“How opioid devastation caught San Diego County communities unaware”

Second place
Cheryl Clark
“When doctors and the DMV decide it’s time for you to stop driving”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Investigative/Enterprise story — single subject
First place
Brad Racino
“Long-ignored transparency law would reveal who’s doing billions in business with San Diego”

Second place
Brad Racino, Megan Wood
“In the shadow of Seaport”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Legal story
First place
Brad Racino
“Cory Briggs’ conduct ‘unethical and possibly criminal,’ appellate court says”

Second place
Roxana Popescu
“Escondido man’s immigration case gives glimpse of an alternate legal universe”

Daily Reporting and Writing, News or Feature Series (any subject)
First place
Megan Wood
“Why are San Diegans paying $1.6 million for closed restrooms?”

Daily Reporting and Writing, Real Estate story
Third place
Brad Racino
“Four things to watch with San Diego’s new Seaport development”

San Diego Press Club

Rising Star Award
Leo Castaneda

Daily newspapers and websites: Business & Financial
Second place
Leo Castaneda
“Investigations Continue as San Ysidro Schools’ Financial Picture Improves”

Daily newspapers and websites: Criminal Justice
Third place
Joe Yerardi
“Obama’s Actions Unlikely to Change San Diego’s Low Numbers of Gun Buyers and Sellers”

Daily newspapers and websites: Education
First place
Megan Wood
“Homeless Emergency in San Ysidro schools Escalates with Grant Loss”

Daily newspapers and websites: Investigative Reporting
First place
Brad Racino
“Five Major Questions San Diego Attorney Cory Briggs Won’t Answer”

Third place
Brad Racino, Megan Wood
“The Port, the Lawyer and the Salesman”

Daily newspapers and websites: Public Service/Consumer Advocacy
First place
Joe Yerardi
“New Culprit in San Diego Water Main Breaks: Asbestos Cement”

Third place
Leo Castaneda, Megan Wood
“Medical Data Thievery Ensnares at least 30,000 San Diegans”

Daily newspapers and websites: Series
Third place
Leo Castaneda
“Permanently Portable”

Radio: Enterprise/Investigative Reporting
Second place
Leo Castaneda
“Murky Rule Generates Expensive Tax Turmoil for California Caregivers”

Third place
Brad Racino
“The Port, the Lawyer and the Salesman”

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Daily Reporting Legal Story
First place
Chris Young
“Fatal shooting by police officer leads to unusual move by San Diego DA”

Audio Reporting Investigative/Enterprise
First place
Chris Young
“Airline curfew violations at Lindbergh often go unpunished”

Second place
Leo Castaneda and Brad Racino
“San Diego agencies cash in on drug money, assets”

Daily Reporting Business Story
First place
Joe Yerardi
“State lottery a gamble for San Diegans”

Daily Reporting Health Story
Second place
Joe Yerardi
“Fewer vaccinations threaten San Diego’s collective immunity”

Video Investigative/Enterprise Single Story
Third place
Joe Yerardi and Megan Wood
“New culprit in San Diego water main breaks: asbestos cement”

 

Radio Television Digital News Association

Edward R. Murrow award (National)

Audio News Series
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Video Hard News
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Edward R. Murrow award (Region 2)

Audio News Series
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Video Hard News
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Columbia Journalism School

Meyer "Mike" Berger award
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

IRE Award

Multiplatform - Small
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Association of Health Care Journalists

Consumer Reporting
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
“An Impossible Choice”

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Top Awards
Mark of Excellence
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino, Lorie Hearn
“An Impossible Choice”

Special Awards
First Amendment Award
Joe Yerardi
Getting the Registrar of Voters to Act on Transparency Challenges

Audio Investigative/Enterprise story
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino, Lorie Hearn
“An Impossible Choice”

Second Place
Brad Racino, Joe Yerardi
"How to uncover a scandal from your couch"

IRE Award

Multiplatform - Small
First Place
Brad Racino, Lorie Hearn
Money, Power and Transit

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Use of Video
Joanne Faryon
Councilman Wants Audit of Mello-Roos Taxes

Audio Hard News
Joanne Faryon
Mayoral Candidate Reveals Childhood Abuse

Audio Investigative Reporting
Joanne Faryon
Poway Schools Rely On Mello-Roos Tax Machine For Lunches, Signs And Old School Repairs

San Diego Press Club

Best Integrated Media Entry
First Place
Brad Racino, Joe Yerardi
“How to Uncover a Scandal from your Couch”

Integrated Media: Public Service/Consumer Advocacy
First Place
Brad Racino, Joe Yerardi
“How to Uncover a Scandal from your Couch”

Integrated Media: Series
First Place
Brad Racino
Money, Power and Transit

Second Place
Joe Yerardi
Follow the Money: San Diego Mayoral Special Election 2013

Integrated Media: Political/Government
First Place
Joe Yerardi
Developer money follows circuitous route to San Diego county supervisor’s race

Second Place
Joe Yerardi
San Diego County’s system for tracking campaign donations called outdated

Third Place
Joe Yerardi
Donations in Peters, DeMaio congressional race all over the map

Integrated Media: Science/Technology
First Place
Brad Racino, Joe Yerardi, Nic McVicker
MTS buses, trolleys and stations tapped by an $18 million surveillance network

Integrated Media: Investigative Reporting
Second Place
Brad Racino
Bill Horn’s Basic Faith

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Sol Price Award for Responsible Journalism: Brad Racino

Health
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
Choosing life or a better death: Hospice under scrutiny

Non-deadline news story
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
Adam & Krystyna: Hospice under scrutiny

Second Place
Brad Racino
War on Women Over 40?: Lawsuit claims age, gender bias at NCTD

Political/Government story
First Place
Joanne Faryon
The motivation of Nathan Fletcher and his political metamorphosis

Radio/Audio, Investigative/Enterprise story
First Place
Joanne Faryon
Poway schools rely on Mello-Roos tax machine

Television, Business/consumer
First Place
Joanne Faryon
Councilman Wants Independent Audit Of Del Sur Taxes

Television, Investigate/Enterprise
Second Place
Brad Racino
Security Breach

IRE Award

Multiplatform - Small
Finalist
Brooke Williams, Brad Racino, Joanne Faryon
Media Powerhouse Flexes Political Muscles

 

Golden Mike Award

Best Investigative Reporting
First Place
Joanne Faryon
Poway Schools Rely on Mello-Roos Tax Machine...

 

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Investigative/Enterprise
First Place
Brooke Williams, Brad Racino, Joanne Faryon
Media Powerhouse Flexes Political Muscles

Second Place
Kevin Crowe, Kelly Thornton
Cost of Main Breaks, Water Loss add up for City

Third Place
Brad Racino
Bob Filner Misses the Boat on the Port

Political/Government
First Place
Carol Goodhue Shull and Robert Shull
State Integrity: Holding California Accountable

Second Place
Brad Racino
Darth Vader meets The Worst Person in the World

Honorable Mention
Ryan Grochowski
Bilbray's Legislative Machine

Multimedia Package
First Place
Brad Racino
Port Authority: The Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal

News/Feature Series
First Place
Roxana Popescu, Brad Racino
Deadly Patrols

 

Harvard University, Joan Shorenstein Center

"Goldsmith Prize"
Finalist
Carol Goodhue Shull and Robert Shull
State Integrity: Holding California Accountable

 

San Diego Press Club

Investigative Reporting
First Place
Roxana Popescu, Brad Racino
Deadly Patrols

Second Place
Brooke Williams, Brad Racino, Joanne Faryon
Media Powerhouse Flexes Political Muscles

Third Place
Brad Racino
Security Breach

Business & Financial
First Place
Brad Racino
Port Authority: The Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal

Public Service/Consumer Advocacy
First Place
Brad Racino
Security Breach

Political/Government
Second Place
Claire Trageser, Brooke Williams
Carl DeMaio: The Future Something

Third Place
Ryann Grochowski
Lawyers Face Off in High-Stakes Judicial Election

Integrated Media: Science/Technology
First Place
Kelly Thornton
Mr. Bock Goes to Washington

Radio: Investigative Reporting
First Place
Joanne Faryon
Serious Questions Raised about Patient Care at San Diego Hospice

Radio
Best in Show
Joanne Faryon
Serious Questions Raised about Patient Care at San Diego Hospice

Television: Investigative Reporting
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
Hospice Under Scrutiny

Television: Specialty Reporting
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Brad Racino
Hospice Under Scrutiny

 

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Investigative/Enterprise
First Place
Joanne Faryon, Kevin Crowe
Economics of Absence

Political/Government
Honorable Mention
Brooke Williams
Issa’s Team

Political/Government
Third Place
Brooke Williams
Filner’s Machine

 

San Diego Press Club

Political/Government
Best in Show
Carol Goodhue Shull, Bob Shull
State Integrity: Holding California Accountable

First Place
Carol Goodhue Shull, Bob Shull
State Integrity: Holding California Accountable

Second Place
Brad Racino
Bob Filner Misses the Boat on the Port

Third Place
Brooke Williams
Filner’s Machine

Public Service
First Place
Kelly Thornton
San Diegans are blowing a gasket over new water-sewer billing system

Series
First Place
Kelly Thornton, Kevin Crowe
Water Main Breaks

Interview/Talk Show
First Place
Brad Racino, Joanne Faryon
Filner Misses the Boat on the Port

 

Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego

Best in Show
Brooke Williams
Capitol Connections

Investigative/Enterprise
First Place
Kevin Crowe, Brooke Williams
Catching Fire

Second Place
Kelly Thornton, Kevin Crowe
Risky Management

Investigative/Enterprise: Single Story
Second Place
Joanne Faryon, Kevin Crowe
When Immunity Fails

Health Story
First Place
Helen Gao
More kindergartners enter school without vaccines

Political/Government
First Place
Brooke Williams
Capitol Connections

Second Place
Brooke Williams
Entertainment industry and Bono Mack make sweet music